Pyrogenic Carbonaceous Matter (PCM; e.g., black carbon, biochar, and activated carbon) are solid residues from incomplete combustion of fossil fuel or biomass. They are traditionally viewed as inert adsorbents for sequestering contaminants from the aqueous phase or providing surfaces for microbes to grow. In this account, we reviewed the recently discovered reactivity of PCM in promoting both chemical and microbial synergies that are important in pollutant transformation, biogeochemical processes of redox-active elements, and climate change mitigation with respect to the interaction between biochar and nitrous oxide (N₂O). Moreover, we focused on our group’s work in the PCM-enhanced abiotic transformation of nitrogenous and halogenated pollutants and conducted in-depth analysis of the reaction pathways. To understand what properties of PCM confer its reactivity, our group pioneered the use of PCM-like polymers, namely conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs), to mimic the performance of PCM. This approach allows for the controlled incorporation of specific surface properties (e.g., quinones) into the polymer network during the polymer synthesis. As a result, the relationship between specific characteristics of PCM and its reactivity in facilitating the decay of a model pollutant was systematically studied in our group’s work. The findings summarized in this account help us to better understand an overlooked environmental process where PCM synergistically interacts with various environmental reagents such as hydrogen sulfide and water. Moreover, the knowledge gained in these studies could inform the design of a new generation of reactive carbonaceous materials with tailored properties that are highly efficient in contaminant removal.

热解碳质物质（PCM；例如黑碳，生物炭和活性炭）是化石燃料或生物质未完全燃烧产生的固体残留物。传统上，它们被视为惰性吸附剂，用于隔离水相中的污染物或提供微生物生长的表面。在此报告中，我们回顾了最近发现的PCM在促进化学和微生物协同作用方面的反应性，这在污染物转化，氧化还原活性元素的生物地球化学过程以及缓解生物炭与一氧化二氮（N ₂O）。此外，我们专注于小组在PCM增强的含氮和卤代污染物非生物转化中的工作，并对反应途径进行了深入分析。为了了解PCM的什么特性赋予其反应性，我们小组率先使用了类PCM的聚合物，即共轭微孔聚合物（CMP），以模仿PCM的性能。该方法允许在聚合物合成期间将特定的表面性质（例如，醌）可控制地结合到聚合物网络中。结果，在我们小组的工作中，系统地研究了PCM的特定特性与其反应性之间的关系，以促进模型污染物的衰减。此报告中总结的发现有助于我们更好地理解一个被忽视的环境过程，其中PCM与各种环境试剂（例如硫化氢和水）协同相互作用。此外，从这些研究中获得的知识可以为新一代反应性含碳材料的设计提供信息，这些材料具有定制的特性，可高效去除污染物。